John prentice



(No Model.)

- J. PRENTIGE.

GIGAR MOLD.

No. 493,292. Patented Mer. 111, 1893.

ATI i i I l l' Bl ,I ll I l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN PRETIOE, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

ClGAR-MOLD.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO. 493,292, dated March14, 189 3.

Application led June 22, 1891. Renewed August 11, 1892. Serial No.442.773. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PRENTICE, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and State of New York, haveinvented an Improvementin Cigar-Molds, of which the following is a specilication.

Molds in which bunches of tobacco leaves are placed forming the body orfillers of the cigars, have heretofore been constructed in ranges. Thebase range of the molds has recesses with concave bottoms and correspondin outline to the shape of the bunch, and the upper or follower range ofmolds has been made with downwardly projecting followers correspondingin outline to the molds and concave under surfaces, so that when thebase portions of the molds are filled with the bunches of tobacco, theupper portion of the mold with the followers can be closed down, and thetwo parts of the mold are clamped together to hold the tobacco in shapewhile the bunches are drying. After this has been done the two parts ofthe mold have to be separated, and difficulty often arises in doingthis, especially in consequence of the moisture swelling the wood of themolds, and often the parts of therrnold have to be pried apart beforethe bunches can be taken out, and in so doing the molds are frequentlyinjured. To avoid these difficulties I hinge the two parts of the moldtogether and apply springs near the ends of the base so as to raise upthe follower and open the molds. This lessens the time consumed inremoving the cigar bunches, or fillers, and this is still furtherfacilitated by a lifter that is acted upon by the workman to raise theentire line of bunches out of the molds, thereby avoiding the risk ofinjury to the bunches, from removing them by a knife as heretoforeusual.

In the drawings Figure 1. is a plan view showing the ranges of molds asopen. Fig. 2. is a cross section at the line ac, and Fig. 3. is alongitudinal section at the line phy, Fig. l. Fig. 4. is a detached viewof one end of the lifter and Fig. 5, is an end view of the lifter andguide plate for same and Fig. 6, is a detached view of the hook.

The base A is of the desired size for the reception of the proper numberof molds, and the follower B corresponds in size to the base,

and these two parts are hinged together near the ends of the hinges O,which, are made L shape, so that the pins of the hinges are at asufficient distance from the back edges of the `base and followerrespectively for the parts to be opened with facility, and usually thereare guide pins D near the ends to bring the parts properly into linewith each other as the follower is closed down upon the molds, and inthe base A near the ends, there are springs E which are suflicientlypowerful to separate the parts of the molds with facility jected to toogreat` a pressure while in their moist condition.

The molds H, are fastened upon the plate H which is received upon thebase A and the ends of the plate H are beveled to pass intocorresponding recesses in the base A so that the molds and plate can beslipped out for the insertion of a plate and molds of different shapes,and the upper molds I. or followers are similarly connected to the plateI', which is beveled at its ends and slips in between guidcs at the endsupon the follower B. This mode of construction is very convenient forthe cigar maker, because it isvonly necessary to change the molds andtheir attaching plates in making use of the same base and follower withcigar molds of different shapes.

The tobacco is to be bunched and laid into the molds asv usual, and thefollowers brought down and the proper pressure applied suiiiciently toconsolidate the tobacco and give shape to the bunches while drying,previous to removal from the molds, and I prevent the injury heretoforelikely to arise to the tobacco in lifting the bunches out of the moldsby a knife by employing the lifter next described. Across in the bottompart of eachmold H, and preferably near the butt or larger end of IOOthe bunch, is a slot into which is introduced a lifter L in the form ofa narrow bar, preferably with projecting ends by which it can be lifted,and the slots in the molds are sufficiently deep for the lifter L. Thisbar L. has a range of upward projections as seen in Fig. 4, there beinga projection for each mold to raise the cigar bunch up from the bottomof the mold and loosen the same, so that the operator can lift eachbunch out with freedom, by pressing the linger against the end thereofand raising such end. This greatly facilitates the removal of thebunches from the molds and lessens the risk of injury.

In consequence of the lifters L being in the form of upward projections,one to each mold, there are mortisesin each mold, and the plate H is notentirely cut through and the molds are capable of removal and change ashere tofore described.

In the bottom of each mold I-I, and near the smaller end thereof, a thinblade or cutter O, is permanently inserted, the same standing up fromthe bottom of the mold the distance required to properly cut into thetobacco of the bunch longitudinally.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the base and follower,and the cigar molds connected respectively to the base and follower, ofhinges extending out from the base and follower for connecting them atone side, and a hook for holding the parts of the molds together at theother side when closed, and an adjusting screw acting against theattaching stud for varying the operative length of the hook,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the base and follower, of molds and plates, towhich the molds are fastened, and which plates are beveled at the endsand received into similar guides and are removable from the base andfollower respectively and hinges for connecting the base and followerand a hook for holding the parts when closed, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination with the base and follower, of hinges for connectingthe parts together, molds and removable plates adapted to be received bythe base and follower re' spectively and to which plates the ranges ofmolds are connected,a lifter occupying a slot running transversely ofthe molds in the base and having upward projections one for each moldand passing through mortises in the plate, and in the molds,substantially as set forth. y

4. The combination with the base and follower, of hinges for connectingsuch base and follower, molds and plates to which the molds areconnected, and which plates are removable from the base and'followerrespectively, springs for separating the molds, and a hook or connectingdevice for the molds when closed, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 8th day of June, 1891.

JOHN PREN'rIoE.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, WILLIAM G. Mo'rr.

